Hunters and other nature enthusiasts may use various calling devices to simulate the sounds made by animals in the wild, e.g., to locate particular animals or even to lure them closer. Animal calling devices can include easy-to-use electronic devices that reproduce particular sounds with essentially perfect accuracy. However, in many jurisdictions, using electronic game calling devices of this type is illegal for certain activities, e.g., particularly hunting animal such as big game.
Animal calling devices can also be embodied as mechanical devices incorporating diaphragms, reeds, boxes, etc. In the case of mechanical animal calling devices, it is often difficult for a user to develop any confidence in their ability to accurately replicate animal sounds without actually going out into nature and interacting with real animals. For example, a user of a diaphragm-style elk calling device may start out making a rather startling variety of noises in an effort to replicate the sound of a real elk. Usually, it takes quite a bit of practice before the user is satisfied that they are making a sound that is reasonably close to that of a real elk. Even then, the user doesn't really know for sure how an elk in the wild will react when the user operates the calling device in the wild. For users who spend a great deal of time in the outdoors calling a particular species of animal, they may have time to develop their calling ability to the point where they are successful at locating or luring that particular species. However, users who infrequently get outdoors or do not live near areas where certain species of animals inhabit may find the learning curve for calling that species relatively difficult. This problem is particularly acute when the user needs to learn how to call a particular animal within a relatively short period of time, e.g., a two-week long hunting season in a location that is far away from their home.